Over 3,500 women business owners recently registered for the 2013 Connecting Women to Power Business Conference at California State University’s Dominguez Hills with upwards of 1,800 who attended the one-day conference Friday June 28.

The Honorable Hilda Solis, President Obama’s former Secretary of Labor, delivered the keynote address. “My main message was that women need to be engaged; they need to utilize social media in emerging technologies, especially green technologies,” said Secretary Solis.

Other speakers included Ms. Abigail L. Browing, International Business Development Specialist with the office of Governor Jerry Brown, Mr. Martin Selander, International Trade Specialist with the Small Business Administration, (SBA) U.S. Export Assistance Center, who announced that the SBA plans to lift the caps on the contract award size for which women-owned small businesses and economically disadvantaged, women-owned small businesses compete. This is the result of a 2010 SBA ruling that expands federal contracting opportunities for women-owned small businesses.

The conference, hosted by Board of Equalization Chairman, Jerome E. Horton discussed how to capitalize on tax credits, expand business overseas, how to access venture capital, contacting with fortune 500 companies and a host of other business-building strategies.

“Hundreds of millions of dollars and resources go unused or unclaimed annually, and today we want to connect the attendees to these resources," said Horton, who along with his wife Yvonne Horton, City Clerk of Inglewood, spearheaded the event. “It is becoming more and more important for women in small businesses to connect with decision makers to increase their economic opportunities and learn from one another. ”

Attendees also learned how to balance their personal and professional challenges at a special session of Life Balancing Techniques facilitated by Clerk Horton.

Cheryl McKnight, California State University Dominguez Hills’ Committee Engagement Department officer concluded, "I was thrilled to participate in this important conference. There was so much going on. This conference should have lasted three days!”

Elected in 2010, Chairman Jerome E. Horton is the Fourth District Member of the California State Board of Equalization, representing more than 8.5 million residents in Los Angeles County. He is also the Board of Equalization’s Legislative Committee Chairman. He is the first to serve on the Board of Equalization with over 21 years of experience at the BOE. Horton previously served as an Assembly Member of the California State Assembly from 2000-2006.

The five-member California State Board of Equalization is a publicly elected tax board. The Board of Equalization collects more than $53.7 billion annually in taxes and fees supporting state and local government services. It hears business tax appeals, acts as the appellate body for franchise and personal income tax appeals, and serves a significant role in the assessment and administration of property taxes. For more information on other taxes and fees in California, visit www.taxes.ca.gov.